TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique: “Back to the Future: From Waste to Power”

Saturday – June 15, 9:30-11:00am

Have you ever seen science fiction movies like Back to the Future where garbage is put into the gas tank instead of gasoline to make the car go? Maybe you thought to yourself that this will never happen. Well, we are getting closer to a day when we utilize waste materials to power our homes and vehicles, helping to alleviate our dependence on fossil fuels. This presentation will show how, locally, these types of projects are being developed, including a demonstration where waste wood is utilized to create power and steam.

Presenters

Chris Campbell, a native resident of Central New York, has been leading the development of innovative projects within O’Brien & Gere for more than 8 years, with 26 years total professional experience. In his 8-year tenure at O’Brien & Gere, Chris has worked on the development of several alternative energy technologies, including biomass to energy, aimed at providing growth and sustainability within the Central New York area. Chris has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from SUNY Institute of Technology and a MS in Engineering Management from Syracuse University.

Sara Martin, P.E., also a native resident of Central New York, has been leading the development of various alternative energy projects within O’Brien & Gere. More specifically, her focus has been in waste to energy projects, including the design and construction of three facilities in New York State, which utilized food waste to create power and heat energy to utilize back into the food production. Sara has a BS in Environmental Engineering from Clarkson University.

People interested in learning more about sustainable energy are invited to attend the free Junior Cafe presentation on Saturday, June 15, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) in Syracuse’s Armory Square. Walk-ins are welcome, but we ask that people RSVP by emailing jrcafe@tacny.org by June 12, 2013.

TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique

TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique, a program for middle-school students founded in 2005, features discussions about topics in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in an informal atmosphere and seeks to encourage students to consider careers in these areas. Students must be accompanied by an adult and can explore the MOST at no cost after the event.

Technology Alliance of Central New York

Founded in 1903 as the Technology Club of Syracuse, the nonprofit Technology Alliance of Central New York’s mission is to facilitate community awareness, appreciation, and education of technology; and to collaborate with like-minded organizations across Central New York.